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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Cessna Aircraft Co. introduced on Monday a new light business jet which it plans to build at one of its Kansas facilities.
The Citation M2, unveiled to prospective buyers at a customer event in Wichita, aims to fill the market gap between the company's Citation Mustang and the Citation CJ planes.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — State senators said Monday they planned to investigate a so-far unfulfilled central Missouri project that was to use public incentives and employ several hundred people to manufacture artificial sweetener.
The project by Mamtek U.S. Inc. was backed by $39 million in industrial development bonds issued by Moberly to finance the construction of a factory.

SHANGHAI (AP) — China's Ministry of Land and Resources has ordered a further tightening of controls on strategically vital rare earths used in advanced manufacturing, for the sake of what it says is "sustainable and healthy development."
The order seen Tuesday on the ministry's website calls for tighter controls over unauthorized exploration, mining, processing and sales of such minerals, which are used in mobile phones and...

A food manufacturing facility might just be a pest’s dream come true. Unlimited supplies of food, lots of hiding places, a warm shelter in the winter and a cool escape in the summer. But it goes without saying that pests in your facility aren’t just a nuisance, they’re unacceptable.

The economy continues to create uncertainty in commercial and government organizations with sluggish growth, reduced resources, and tightening budgets being the order of the day. Even as we await more favourable market conditions, one thing is clear: The makeup of today’s workforce is forever changed.

BRUSSELS (AP) — An EU program aimed at slowing climate change will allow airlines to emit 85 percent of their carbon dioxide limits for free in the hope they will use the money to modernize their fleets, an official said Monday.
The European Union's existing cap-and-trade system limits the carbon dioxide emissions of power plants and big factories in the bloc by issuing permits for each ton of carbon they can emit.

GOLDSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Automotive parts company Cooper-Standard Automotive plans to add nearly 140 jobs at a North Carolina plant by the end of next year.
Gov. Beverly Perdue's office said Monday the added jobs are part of an $18 million expansion by Cooper-Standard at a Goldsboro plant that makes rubber, metal and plastic seals and trim.

WETHERSFIELD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut's Labor Department says the maximum unemployment insurance benefit is rising to $573 a week.
The $18 increase is to take effect Sunday. The benefit is set by the state legislature and is based on average manufacturing wages.
An increase is limited by law to $18 a year, or 60 percent of the average wage, whichever is less.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Samsung asked a Dutch court Monday to slap an injunction on Apple Inc. to prevent it from selling iPhones and iPad tablets in the Netherlands, saying Apple does not have licenses to use 3G mobile technology in the devices.
The legal battle is the latest round in a series of claims and counterclaims of patent breaches by the rival technology heavyweights playing out in courtrooms around the world.

TOKYO (AP) — Honda has developed a new fuel-efficient motorcycle engine that will be used in a scooter that goes on sale globally next year.
Honda Motor Co. said Monday that the new engine for 125-cc scooters is 25 percent more fuel efficient than similar conventional ones.
It targets people who use scooters to commute not only in Japan but also in Southeast Asia and other nations, according to Tokyo-based Honda, which...

BETTENDORF, Iowa (AP) — Federal authorities say an eastern Iowa steel company will pay a nearly $55,000 penalty and clean up oil leaking from storage tanks on its Bettendorf property.
The Environmental Protection Agency said in a news release Monday that several violations of federal regulations were noted during a March 2010 inspection of Sivyer Steel Corp.

Kaeser Compressors (Fredericksburg, VA) has introduced the redesigned CSD rotary screw compressor series. Available in flows from 186-565 cfm (60-125hp) and pressures to 217 psi, the new CSD models offer reliability, efficiency, and easy maintenance. CSD compressors come standard with several new features including the Sigma Control 2 intelligent compressor control.

The new MultiCal 2500 Secondary Standard Precision Calibrator from E Instruments International (Langhorne, PA) is a full-featured temperature, pressure, and DC calibrator intended for research and development, metrology, manufacturing, and calibration applications. The MultiCal 2500 features include:
Accuracy of +/-0.

NEW YORK (AP) — Coca-Cola Co. and Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company SA, plan to invest $3 billion in Russia over the next five years as part of an ongoing push into emerging markets.
Coca-Cola, the world's largest soft drink maker, has been investing in emerging markets in order to expand its presence there.

GARY, Ind. (AP) — A pilot program that retrofits vehicles to use natural gas is generating thousands in savings for United States Steel Corp. and has the company looking to expand the venture.
The company began operating a compressed natural gas fueling station and seven retrofitted vehicles in Gary in December.

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota is selling its first "minicar" in Japan as demand increases for the tiny vehicles which are popular for short commutes.
Toyota Motor Corp., Japan's top automaker, launched the Pixis Space minivehicle manufactured by group company Daihatsu Motor Co., on Monday.
Minivehicles, or "kei," are defined under Japanese regulations as having maximum length of 3.

BEIJING (AP) — Ford's chief executive says the growth of China's auto market is sustainable as the company looks to launch 15 new vehicles by 2015 in the country.
Alan Mulally said Monday that China is a sustainable market with the country's leadership focused on keeping inflation in check without derailing economic growth.

DETROIT (AP) — Contract talks between Chrysler and the United Auto Workers union have restarted after breaking down earlier this week over financial issues, the union and the company said Saturday.
UAW President Bob King and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne had "productive discussions" on Friday and talks are continuing, both sides said in a statement.